Sunday, January 24, 2016

Lyrical Bowie Thoughts


Some thoughts on lyrics. Please feel free to share yours.

"And he was alright the band was altogether, and he was alright the song went on forever" Lady Stardust
When we bring people together, as in a band, and we're clicking on all cylinders, running like a machine, everything is "alright" and that's when you hope the song goes on forever. 'Cause when we're all together, everything is alright,

"Come on, come on, we've really got a good thing going, Well come on, well come on if you think we're going to make it...you better hang onto yourself"  Hang Onto Yourself
This is just a song that spells out living life in so many ways. All we have is ourselves and we had better hang onto that and that's how you make it....by hanging onto yourself.

"I could fall asleep at night as a rock and roll star, I could fall in love alright as a rock and roll star" Star
Well....if "I could fall asleep at night as a rock and roll star." 'nuff said.

"And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall short people, and the the nobody people, and all the somebody people, I never thought I'd need so many people"   Five Years
I don't know much about David, I've always felt he was a bit of a recluse and I understand Ziggy Stardust is a concept album, but I guess it's interesting, as stubborn as I can be, that I find more inspiration from other people, all people, than anywhere else....maybe that's what he's saying.

"Don't fake it baby, lay the real thing on me. The church of man, love is such a holy place to be. Make me baby, make me know you really care. Make me jump into the air"  Moonage Daydream
When people give you truth and by that truth there is love, well it make me jump into the air because I know you really care.

"Sailors fighting in the dance hall, Oh man! Look at those cavemen go. It's the freakiest show. Take a look at the lawman. Beating up the wrong guy. Oh man! I wonder if he'll ever know He's in the best selling show. Is there life on Mars?  Life on Mars
The first sentences sum up our lives on earth and the last sentence is a plea for something/somewhere to be better, to be honest and to be love.

"So I turned myself to face me, but I've never caught a glimpse. Of how the others must see the faker. I'm much to fast to take that test" Changes
I've got a lot of thoughts on this one, but I'm going to let it be.

'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word. And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night and love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves."  Under Pressure
I love how he says that love dares us to care about ourselves. I love this song and the arrangement of it.


and when all is said and done....my fave of his lyrics could be the simply put...
"LET'S DANCE"



Sunday, January 17, 2016

wood shop lessons

It was either last year or the year before on the Atlantic City Expressway that we hit a deer, or as Margaret says, a deer ran into us.
I remember the hot coffee splashing all over me during the impact and thinking it was blood.
The anxiety carried over from that accident lasted for months whenever driving at night.
Blog on the deer accident - - http://njtate.blogspot.com/2014/01/hit-deer.html


Yesterday I ran a board over the joiner in the wood shop, it was a short board, to short The joiner grabbed, gouged the board while simultaneously taking the push board (used for safety), breaking it and winging it about 20" behind me.


Angry!  Nervous!! Embarrassed!!!  Yes to all of the above, but more scared than anything else.
It took me all day, night and a full nights sleep to regain some posture.

"Are you alright" was shouted from across the shop. Reaction by the shop owner and the retired wood shop school teacher that happened to be present was more reassuring than I deserved despite my self-inflicted anger and embarrassment.

Within minutes, Tommy (shop owner), made the best suggestion ever - - "first thing we need to do; repair the push block"


We worked on it together. I finished it. Made a 2nd different one and now have another in the works. 

Later in the afternoon I got back on the proverbial horse and nervously joined a few boards on both joiners (testing the new push block) and ended up calling it a day shortly thereafter. 

It was sometime in the middle of the night. 
I awoke and heard the local owl whooting followed by a baby owl (?) with a softer, gentler whoot 
It was then I realized what I had done the day before:
1. I was in a rush
2. I was running a board to small for the machine
3. I was feeling a bit overtly confident/arrogant about working in the shop of late
4. I was working under a time restriction and this did not allow me to stay focused

I don't believe in luck or coincidences. 

Now to learn from all of this. To take the experience and strengthen my core being. I also want to assess my initial reaction to this and all of this will take time, precious oh so precious time. 

Maybe therin lies the answers?